A man has been jailed after admitting causing a fatal collision near Dorchester.
Mathew Vater, aged 24 and of Rectory Close, Broadmayne, Dorchester, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 21 September 2018 after admitting a charge of causing death by careless driving.
He was sentenced to 10 months in prison and disqualified from driving for three years, with the ban to begin following his release from jail.
The collision occurred on the A352 at Whitcombe at around 6.25am on Monday 16 October 2017.
Vater was travelling toward Dorchester in his Peugeot 206 while a Honda Civic, being driving by Stuart Richardson and containing his wife Hannah, was coming in the opposite direction.
As the Richardsons’ vehicle approached a left hand bend, the Peugeot came round the bend and crossed over the centre of the carriageway directly into their path. Mr Richardson had no time to avoid the oncoming vehicle.
Mrs Richardson, aged 43, sustained serious injuries as a result of the collision and was taken to Dorset County Hospital. Very sadly, she was pronounced dead at the hospital later that morning.
Mr Richardson was also taken to hospital for treatment to a broken right ankle, dislocated left knee, two fractured vertebrae and two broken ribs as well as a number of cuts.
Vater sustained minor injuries as a result of the collision. He later told police that he was travelling at around 60mph along the road, which has a speed limit of 50mph, when he lost control of his vehicle.
Police Sergeant Fern Graham, of the traffic unit, said: “This case is another sad demonstration of the devastating consequence of driving without due care and consideration.
“Mathew Vater admitted travelling in excess of the speed limit at the time of the collision, which led to the sad loss of a much loved woman.
“Any motorist getting behind the wheel of a car is taking control of a potentially fatal machine and this tragic incident shows the need for drivers to respect road conditions and speed limits at all times.”
Following the sentencing Hannah Richardson’s family said they wanted to thank the police and all the emergency services involved in responding to the collision.
